Ready to bake the most wonderfully moist and fluffy carrot cake you’ve ever tasted? The secret is using sunflower oil instead of butter, a simple swap that creates an unbelievably tender crumb and lets the warm cinnamon, sweet carrots, and zesty orange shine. We love using purple carrots for a stunning deep blue hue, but regular orange carrots are just as delicious. This cake is a celebration of simple, beautiful ingredients, and it’s incredibly forgiving. Don’t have blood oranges or two cake tins? No problem! This recipe is designed for real-life kitchens.
Ingredients
• For the Cake
• Unsalted butter, for the tins
• 75g / ¾ cup walnuts
• 5 large eggs
• 250ml / 1 cup sunflower oil
• 250g / 1¼ cups dark muscovado sugar, packed
• 250g / 2 cups self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 pinch of sea salt
• 50g / ⅓ cup raisins
• 50g / ¼ cup candied mixed peel
• 200g / 2 cups carrots, peeled and grated
• For the Icing
• 165g / ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 250g / 1 cup full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
• 165g / 1⅓ cups icing sugar, sifted
• Finely grated zest of 2 blood oranges
• 5 tbsp / 75ml blood orange juice
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 155°C / 135°C fan / gas mark 3. Butter two 20cm springform cake tins and line the bases with baking parchment.
2. Spread the walnuts on a baking tray and toast in the oven for 20–25 minutes, turning every 5 minutes until golden brown. Set aside to cool, then roughly chop.
3. To make the cake, combine the eggs, oil, and sugar in a large mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. You can also use a food mixer with the beater attachment.
4. Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt to the wet and mix until just combined.
5. Fold in the raisins, mixed peel, toasted walnuts, and grated carrots until everything is thoroughly incorporated.
6. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared tins. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
7. Allow the cakes to cool in their tins for 10 minutes before carefully turning them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
8. To make the icing, ensure the butter and cream cheese are at room temperature. Beat them together in a large bowl until smooth and creamy.
9. Add the sifted icing sugar and beat again until light and fluffy. Fold in half of the blood orange zest and all of the blood orange juice.
10. Once the cakes are completely cool, place one layer on your serving plate. Spread a layer of icing over the top, then place the second cake on top.
11. Generously coat the top of the cake with the remaining icing. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining orange zest to decorate.
Nutritional Information
• Serving: 1 slice (of 12) | Calories: 585kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Sodium: 280mg | Sugar: 44g (This is an estimate and will vary based on used).
Pro Tips
• Using sunflower oil instead of butter is the key to a super moist cake crumb.
• If you can’t find purple carrots or blood oranges, regular carrots and oranges work perfectly as substitutes.
• If you only have one 20cm cake tin, simply bake the layers one after another, allowing the tin to cool slightly in between.
• For the smoothest, lump-free icing, ensure your butter and cream cheese are both at room temperature before you begin mixing.
FAQ
Q: Is this carrot cake recipe vegetarian
A: Yes, this carrot cake is 100% vegetarian. It contains no meat, poultry, or fish. All ingredients, including the eggs, oil, and cream cheese, are suitable for a standard vegetarian diet.
Q: Can I make this carrot cake vegan
A: Absolutely. To make the cake vegan, replace the 5 eggs with a vegan egg substitute like 5 ‘flax eggs’ (1 tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tbsp water per egg). For the icing, use your favorite brand of vegan block butter and vegan cream cheese.
Q: How do I make this carrot cake dairy-free
A: The cake batter is already dairy-free because it uses sunflower oil instead of butter. For a completely dairy-free cake, simply make the icing using dairy-free block butter and a dairy-free cream cheese alternative.
Q: How should I store this vegetarian carrot cake
A: Due to the cream cheese frosting, the cake must be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will remain moist and delicious for up to 5 days. For the best taste and texture, allow a slice to sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before enjoying.
